Philadelphia is a great sports town with arguably the most passionate sports fans in the country, but it sure would be nice to enjoy a few more parades. Watching Boston celebrate its eighth championship in the last 12 years was tough to swallow.
I moved to Philadelphia in 1988 and since, have experienced one championship. The Phillies made 2008 a memorable year, but 25 years between championships in a city of this size is tough to take.
The Red Sox and Patriots both have three titles in the past dozen years and since 2001, the Patriots have lost two Super Bowls, and the Celtics and Bruins each lost once in the championship round of their respective sports.
What is it about Boston that its sports teams continue to win and win big games, and in Philadelphia we are hoping our teams just make the playoffs? The four major sports teams in Philadelphia have won 17 championships, the sixth-most successful city in the country with professional sports titles. However, the city has been shut out of the biggest prize of them all.
The Eagles' three titles all came pre-Super Bowl, and right now a Birds' Super Bowl appearance seems years away. There was time in the late '70s, early '80s that Philadelphia was known as the city of champions. It sure would be nice to have all four teams compete at the highest level at the same time just the way Boston has enjoyed a miraculous run over the past decade.
There will be a parade in Boston on Saturday and after all that city has endured over the past year, the residents deserve the pure joy of celebrating a championship.
Let's hope our day comes soon. It's been five years and counting and our teams are on the clock.